This week I had unrelated conversations with two entrepreneurs who’ve bootstrapped their companies. They now have paying customers. One of them is looking to raise venture capital, and the other recently raised it. Bootstrapped companies survive on customer cash flow. There typically isn’t a surplus of cash on hand. This means founders are often focused on how they’ll keep the lights on. The runway is usually a few months long, if that.

Both founders are now faced with the possibility of an infusion of cash and 18 to 24 months of runway to execute a long-term vision. Until now, neither has had the luxury of thinking that far ahead. Homing in on their vision hasn’t been as smooth as they’d hoped. They’re finding it difficult to shift their mindset from survival to articulating the full potential of their company and a plan to get there.

Bootstrapping versus raising capital from investors isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. It’s specific to the entrepreneur and their situation. Founders should know that the path they pick to obtain capital will influence how they’re able to think about their business. Bootstrapping fosters a survival mindset and thinking only a few months out. Raising capital from investors allows for long-term planning and execution.

There are exceptions to every rule and founders can be wildly successful on either path, but this is something founders should consider when they choose the source of their capital.